An Honors College luncheon series for students featuring conversations with faculty and community leaders.

Lunch is provided for attendees from Beyond Juice & Eatery.  RSVP's are required, as seating is limited.

This month's speaker is former state senator and director of the Michigan Veteran's Affairs Agency, Adam Hollier.

A lifelong Detroiter, Director Hollier is a proud graduate of Detroit Public Schools. He earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial and labor relations from Cornell University, where he played safety on the football team and was a decathlete, and also served as a volunteer firefighter in Ithaca, New York, while finishing his degree. He went on to earn a master’s degree in urban planning from the University of Michigan.

The spirit of service is deeply instilled in Director Hollier, which led him to enlist in the U.S. Army. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant at Officer Candidate School in Fort Benning, Georgia, and currently serves as team chief and paratrooper in the 412th Civil Affairs Battalion, Army Reserve.

Director Hollier’s journey of service has taken him around the country, including a stint as relief coordinator during Hurricane Katrina. He returned home and served in public service roles in the state Legislature and City of Detroit. He was instrumental in developing policies that protected senior citizens and facilitating the installation of 64,000 new lights to make Detroit neighborhoods safer.

He was elected to the state Senate in 2018, representing Wayne County’s 2nd District, which includes Detroit, the Grosse Pointes, Hamtramck, Harper Woods and Highland Park. As senator, he secured funding and gained bipartisan support for critical programs including career readiness, business development, mentoring and education initiatives. He also championed greater voting access, licensing, tuition assistance and the expansion of state veterans’ homes for service members and their families.

Director Hollier was named to Michigan Chronicle’s 40 under 40 in 2013, Crain’s 20 in their 20s in 2015 and the Michigan Chronicle Men of Excellence in 2021.

He lives in Detroit’s North End with his wife and two children. He spends his spare time training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and woodworking.